Framework & Methodology

The framework is designed to create a powerful and accessible shared narrative by arranging a broad range of dimensions into clear, focused and intuitively relevant domains. It consists of a set of 48 indicators that use existing and (mainly) accessible data from established national data agencies such as ONS, PHE and the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD). All indicators are chosen to represent the drivers of wellbeing – factors which are known to improve people’s wellbeing now and in the long term.

These indices are arranged into three headline elements:

SUSTAINABILITY

LOCAL CONDITIONS

EQUALITY

These headline elements support a broad dialogue about whether an area is creating the conditions for people to thrive, within environmental limits and in a socially just way.

We then use a layered approach to drill down to the detail: within each headline element there are domains – with a focus on what can be influenced at local scale. This is done in order to make the breadth of information the Index holds accessible to citizens and statisticians alike, and to support the cross-sector use of the framework as a roadmap for collaborative change.